Latching mechanism



Oct. 17, 1933. LE ROY DICK 1,930,790

LATCHING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 25, 1931 Alvin/me: F76. 520 DICK Arrae/vmPatented Oct. 17, 1933 j 1,930,790

UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE LATCHING MECHANISM LeRoy I. Dick.Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Cleveland Chain &Manufacturing'Company, Garfield Heights, Ohio, a corporation of OhioApplication November 25, 1931 Serial N0. 577,301

3 Claims. (CI. 14-68) This invention as indicated relates to latchingappear in the course of the following'description. mechanismparticularly to mechanism for ap- To the accomplishment of theforegoing'and plication to an emergency chain construction. relatedends; said invention, then, consists of the More particularly, itcomprises a device adapted means hereinafter fully described andparticto secure a chain applied around an automo ularlypointed out inthe claims. the annexed 60;

bile tire between the spokes of a wheel and held drawing and thefollowing description setting in proper operative relation to the tiresurface so forth in detail certain structure embodying the that adequatetraction may be provided under invention, such disclosed meansconstituting,

special circumstances. It includes an improved however, but one ofvarious structural forms in latch mechanism for engaging any selectedlink which the principle of the invention may be 65;

of a length of chain and is particularly adapted used.

to engage a twisted chain link such as is used In said annexed drawing:I

for tire chains and the like. Figure 1 is a side elevation showing anemer- Emergency chains for use upon motor vehicles gency chainconstruction embodying the prin- 15 where slippery surfaces or heavygrades are inciples of the invention and as applied in opera- To; volvedor where deep sand or mud holes have tive position around a tire and itssupporting to be traversed have frequently been applied members; to thewheels of motor vehicles but in many in- Figure 2 is a plan view inenlarged detail, stances such constructions have not maintained showingthe supporting plate and latch mechathe chain in proper position acrossthe tread of nism;

the tire or have been too expensive to manu- 1 Figure 3 is a fragmentaryview of the plate facture, or have been difficult to apply and deandlatch mechanism shown inFig. 1 as seen tach. Such constructions likewisehave frefrom a. position indicated by the line 3-3 lookquently requiredlinks of particular size or shape ing in the direction of the arrows;and

and have not been adapted for use with stand- Figure 4 is a view similarto Fig. 3, but showing 80) ard tire chains having twisted linksthroughout. the latch in partially closed position. 1 e

The present invention is intended to obviate As is clearly shown in thedrawing, a supthe difliculties he etofo e had w th em rge cy portingplate 1' is provided comprising a strap hains n to provide asimplifiedconstruction ofsheet metal formed centrally with an upwardwherein astandard cross chain with twisted ly curved portion 2 of a size toengage over the 85 links may be used in COIlnBctiOn With a D- felly 3 ofa wheeland having its ends 4, 5, suppo P a formed of a Strap of et metalported angularly below such bent portion so nd ed therewith pe a en lyat ne end as to space the same slightly from the. sides of and held de ahablv y n impr ved latch mema tire 6 engaged upon said wheel. At. oneend her at the opposite end. of the-strap the metal is cut away ateach'side Q0. The invention contemplates the provision of and thecentral portion bent outwardly upon a latch membe for t e free e d ofthe ha itself so as to form an eye '7 within which is perw ic w befreely engaeeable therewith in manently secured the terminal link of asection IIGCtiOIl With any selected link thereof and which f ross chain9 The cross chain is prefer- 40 will hold the same securely under allconditions ably formed throughout its length f twisted 95;

Of Servicelinks of conventional construction and is made Another objectof the invention is to Provide of a length suflicient to extend aroundthe tread latch member upon the Supportmg sectlon of of a tire and backto'a position to be'engaged 2 521212 5 3 2 2 5 gg ggfg g fi zgg g agzgwith the opposite end of such supporting plate; g fifgg ig g g s i fiz gg zggfi ngld so that a single device may be used on several Anotherobject of the invention is to provide -m are SIZES a pivoted latchmember at one end of the plate The m for holding the cham which willengage a chain link and in the course connectwn W the free end ofSupportmg 105 of moving the same to latching position will platecomprises a latch member inthe shape of draw t same i t t tire, thproviding a pivoted book 11, cooperat ng with a slot 12 slight take-upfor. any undue Slack in t in the free end ofthe plate. Said latch memberh i is preferably formedof a-portion of sheet metal Otherand furtherobjects of the invention will shaped to/provide an:angular endor hook 111'10 A slight excess of chain length may be provided 1 0 at its lowerend, an enlarged intermediate portion for the pivot, and, disposed at anangle of less than 180 to the body of the latch member, is an operatingextension or arm 14 at its upper end provided with an upstanding ear l5adjacent one side to serve as a finger rest- The latch member at a pointspaced from its lower end is provided with a pivot pin 16 which ismounted on a flat section of the supporting plate spaced from the endthereof. The extension arm, as will be clearly seen in Figure 1, isformed by bending the latch member at a point approximately centrally ofthe length thereof so as to have said arm rest against the upper surfaceof the supporting plate at a point where it en-.

gages over the felly. By constructing the latch member so that it willride into a central position with light friction on the central portionof the plate, the movement of the lachto either side thereof willnecessarily bring the same into greater frictional contact with themarginal portions of the plate and thus the device will be maintainednormally ina central position unless positively forced to unlatchingposition.

The hook portion of the latch is formed by providing a lateral recess inthe latch section adjacent the angular end which terminates in a centralopening 17, in alignment with the pivot pin, of more than semi-circularextent and the latch member is formed with a beveled point 18 extendingfrom said opening to one corner of the lower end of saidlatch member,thus a hook having a sharp, point at its lower end is provided, suchpoint serving to engage within a chain link and cause the same to rideover its beveled surface and be drawn upwardly'to a seated positionwithin said opening. Inorder to producesuch take-up action, the hookmember cooperates with the slot 12 formed in the free end of thesupporting plate which preferably extends from its lower edge to a pointspaced slightly from the pivot pin of the latch. The slot is of a widthto freely receive a twisted chain link and position the same at a pointwhere it may be readily engaged by the hook and drawn to operativeposition. The ends of the supporting plate on opposite sides of the slotare turned upwardly and backwardly upon themselves so as to provideoverlying guide members 19 spaced from the slotted portion of the platea distance sufficient to receive within the same the lower portion ofthe hook member. These guide members thus serve as a guide for the latchmember as well as positioning means for the chain link to be engagedtherewith.

When the device is applied to a wheel it is engaged about the tire withthe latch end of the plate preferably on the outer side to permit easyaccess and the chain is then drawn tight about the tire and with thelatch turned to open position, the chain link nearest the slot isengaged therein. The finger rest on the latch arm is then pressed so asto force the latch arm over the margin of the plate and into'a centralposition. It will remain in this position because of the resistance todisplacement offered by the'marginal portions of the curved portionofthe plate. As the beveled point of the hook'moves against the innersurface of a link it will draw the chain toward the plate with a slighttake-up action and provide the proper running adjustment of theemergency chain. The excess links, if any, will in no way interfere withthe latch or tend to detach the same. The link engaged in the slot andbetween overlying guide members has very little side play and will notproduce destructive wear on the parts.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employedinstead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanismherein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the followingclaims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. An apparatus of the character described having in combination a platehaving curved portions to adapt the same to engage over the felly of awheel of an automobile, means at one end of said plate providing apermanent support for one end of a length of chain, a slot formed at theopposite 'end of said plate and extending longitudinally inwardly of thelength thereof a short distance, a pivot pin mounted on said plateadjacent the inner end of said slot, a latch mem ber pivotally engagedon'said pin and having a hook-shaped terminal member adapted to moveacross the lower portion of said slot, an operatingarm on said latchmember disposed at an angle of less than 180 to the body of the latchmember so as to ride over an adjacent curved portion of said plate andto be held against displacement from a central position by reason of thegreater frictional contact with said plate upon movement of said-latchmember in either direction.

2. An apparatus of the character described having in combination a plateadapted to engage over the felly of a wheel of an automobile, means atone end of said plate providing a permanent support for one end of alength of chain, a slot formed at the opposite end of said plate andextending-longitudinally inwardly of the length thereof a shortdistance, a latch member. pivotally supported on said plate adjacentsaid slot and comprising an operating arm and a hook? shaped terminalmember adapted to cooperate with said slot in engaging a link adjacentthe free end of said chain, and said operating arm being formed bybending the latch member intermediate the length thereof, so as to holdthe operating arm in light contact with said plate and to frictionallyengage said plate and hold said hook-shaped terminal in lockingengagement with said link, and a finger piece formed adjacent .the endof said operating arm for moving said hook-shaped terminal member intolatching and 'unlatching position.

3. An apparatus of the character described having in combination a plateadapted to engage over the felly of a wheel of an automobile, meansatone end of said plate providing a permanent support for one end of, alength of chain, a slot formed at the opposite end of said plate andextending longitudinally inwardly of the length by said guide membersand to engage a link adjacent the free end of said chain inserted insaid slot, when said lever is moved into a position overlying saidsupporting plate.

LEROY I. DICK.

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